I Take Off the Mask

I think one of the most difficult burdens a single person can have is the feeling that one has never been called or chosen.  Do I even have a vocation? When you try to search over the internet, you’d find various answers to this question.  Some would say that being single is a vocation just like being married or being a religious. But many sites I have visited bluntly say that being single should never be considered as such and there is no such thing. No matter what reason may have been given by those who say that being single is not a vocation, the effect is the same.  It is painful to hear and to be told again and again. If God did not call me to be single, where did I go wrong? Should I have been a married person or a religious had I only obeyed God’s calling? And if I have not been called that way, why wasn’t I called by God?  What does He want me to do with my life? It is this feeling that I am in a wrong state in life, somewhere I shouldn’t be.  That feeling that while all the ot...

After a last-minute decision, with no spare clothes or any other preparation, Esther, Elsa and I went to Alubijod, Guimaras Island. The timing of our arrival at Pulupandan Pier was God-given in our opinion. Good people guided us and served as angels in our journey – Bert, Ray, Kyle and Danny. On our way to our destination, we went “back riding” (on motorcycles) for the first time. It was only after the trip that we realized the risks we took, especially in riding that way (riding at the back of motorcycles, on roads that were rarely paved and were most often sloping). But the risks were worth it! And given the second chance, I’m almost sure we’d do it again. At Himala, Barangay Sibunag, we witnessed a spectacular sunset. (I was glad we captured it on film). I was glad I didn’t miss the silhouette of the tree set apart from the rest, somewhat bowing to the left with branches surrendering to the glaring orange sky. Indeed, the peace of the place, especially upon arriving at Barangay S...

“ The Boogies and the Woogies” by Marianne Reed is just so cute, so colorful and so adorable that I enjoyed it immensely even though I’m no longer a little child. It just felt good to be young again and to see a world where everything is new and wonderful. This book has a certain way of conveying positivity and warmth to its readers through its vivid illustrations and smart narrative. In a simple but very effective way, it delivers a strong message to readers young and old, a message that the world badly needs today. Sometimes it’s hard to see a solution without seeing our situation from another perspective. And that’s where this book comes in. It enables its readers to visualize through its magical pages how we sometimes behave and why we often can’t find the answers to our problems. Haven’t we seen children fight over something they can’t seem to settle by themselves? (Well, it seems even adults also, but let’s talk about that later on). Many times, a fight can go on because neit...

Photo by M&W Studios from Pexels There’s a song I don’t much like. It’s a very popular song, but I think it’s too often represented as a hopeful song. There’s actually a lot of despair within the lyrics. I used to change the radio station when I was driving and this song was played. I still do, but I take a moment to pray first. What changed? We went to a funeral, a couple of years ago, for a young man who had taken his own life. Because he was a music fan, family and friends were encouraged to wear concert t-shirts to the prayer service. And on the back of the prayer card, where there’s usually a prayer or a Scripture verse, was the first verse of this famous song, which begins, “Imagine there’s no heaven.” Imagine the despair behind that line. Imagine the utter lack of hope that it takes to hold the view that heaven does not exist. It’s easy, the songwriter maintains—but it’s not easy at all. It’s heartbreaking. In my book The Handy Little Guide to Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor) I ...

“ Snuggles, Kisses & Hugs: Have A Party” is truly an amazing book with a lot of heart! Featuring three wonderful characters who can’t be more different from each other, it’s a story that’s bound to prove how our differences need not keep us from forming a solid and lasting friendship that could overcome countless challenges in life. From the very beginning of the book, it has been dedicated to parents who wanted to raise their children to be good people when they grow up. It’s something that has quickly etched a mark of sincerity to a reader like me even before I read the rest of the story. Isn’t it what all parents desire to do? And what better way than through a fun-filled and engaging book that would dig deep into the heart and imagination of young ones? In this story, Snuggles The Bouncing Bunny, Kisses The Fashion Fox, and Hugs The Ballerina Bear will be faced with a seemingly simple yet difficult task of preparing a party for their common friend Tickles The Turtle . How w...

Life’s greatest happiness is to know that you have loved. Happy Valentines Day! You may use the above image in your personal or social posts.  I only hope that you add a link back to this blog. Quotes on the Love of God Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me.- Saint Clare of Assisi “Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.” – Mother Teresa There is no need to be dismayed if love sometimes follows torturous ways. Grace has the power to make straight the paths of human love. – Pope John Paul II God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. – Augustine “Take God for your spouse and friend and walk with him continually, and you will not sin and will learn to love, and the things you must do will work out prosperously for y...

I never thought I’d start the day without you by my side, smiling at me with those eyes as though we’ve only met. I never thought I’d start the day without you holding me, reaching for my hands as though you’d never let them go. But I start the days now with this ache in my heart, not seeing you next to me as I awake, not being able to reach your hands. Yes, I start the day now not knowing where my feet would take me, and so I feel I’d rather sleep again, just so I could dream of you. I don’t know until when I could wake up each morning not seeing you, not feeling you, not finding you where you’re supposed to be. You were supposed to be right next to me, And my days should not be this empty now that you’re truly gone. The above poem is included in Jocelyn Soriano’s book for those who grieve the loss of a loved one “Of Waves and Butterflies: Poems on Grief”. Get it from Amazon today— click here.